The Woodlands Children’s Museum receives a $2,500 microgrant from The Woodlands Arts Council

THE WOODLANDS, TX – The Woodlands Children’s Museum was the latest beneficiary of a microgrant program sponsored by The Woodlands Arts Council. A $2,500 check was recently presented to representatives of the museum by TWAC executive director Jenny Carattini-Wright.

The award was the result of the inaugural The Woodlands Arts Council’s Dr. David Gottlieb Education Microgrant and The Woodlands Arts Council Artist Microgrant programs that were launched last fall by TWAC to support arts in the local community. Grants ranged in size from $250 to $5,000 per project. The Woodlands Arts Council has proudly awarded a total of $32,420 in microgrants to nine local schools and three area private organizations/artists this year to date.

Carattini-Wright explained that the program sprung out of necessity from the issues that came with COVID and their effect on the local arts community. “We have enjoyed being a partner with The Woodlands Children’s Museum for more than fifteen years and are proud to assist them in their continued efforts with this check,” she said.

TWCM’s sponsorship coordinator Jennifer Kraus wrote the grant request. “In our desire to feature different artists and projects on a continuously rotating basis, this grant will help us purchase supplies so that the kids and their families can enjoy the unique, hands-on experiences that these exhibits provide.”

Angela Colton, the museum’s executive director, agreed with how far the funds from the microgrant will go to assist the Panther Creek-located facility. “Higher quality tools can be purchased, which is essential to us, as art by definition is the mastering of tools.”

Lauren Gonzales, the arts director of the museum, points out that one or two different artists are featured at the museum each month in a special section called “The Muse,” with multiple mediums being represented. “Our patrons get to learn about the artist and also emulate him or her,” she said.

Coulton stressed the benefits of coming to the museum so that young minds and hands can flourish. “It’s an honor for us to have The Woodlands Arts Council see, be aware of, and understand the processes necessary to provide these artistic products and services, and how funds like this microgrant can help us so much in our goals.” She points out that the hands-on artist features are included in the cost of admission, which have remained the same since 2019, even in the face of lessened patronage due to COVID.

Carattini-Wright added, “We are thrilled to be able to promote the arts in our local community through these microgrant outreach endeavors. This was our first year to launch these programs and it was a tremendous success. We look forward to 2022 and encourage local educators and artists to visit our website and follow us on social media for your next round of application opportunities.”

The Woodlands Children’s Museum, founded in 2012, is located at 4775 W Panther Creek Dr #280 and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until either 2:00 or 4:00 p.m., depending on the day. Per-visit prices are available as are annual memberships.